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Economic Contributions

American Prairie Reserve is committed to making a positive impact on local communities in our seven-county region.

We recognize that agriculture will remain the dominant industry, but trust that visitors to American Prairie Reserve will stimulate local economic activity when they contract local guides, buy food, fuel and supplies, and patronize local establishments like lodging and restaurants. Additional and significant economic opportunities are born through various Reserve expenditures, as described below.

Impact to Date

While American Prairie Reserve is in the business of large-scale conservation, one of our goals is to ensure that the land remains productive in a way that clearly contributes measurable benefits to the local economy. Because of this, we track the economic impact of Reserve-related activities. 

Since 2002, the Reserve has contributed $34.3 million to the area economy, including land purchases, wages paid to local staff, tourism activities, equipment and supply purchases, payments to local contractors, APR-incurred expenses related to tourism and visitation, and real estate taxes. In 2015, American Prairie Reserve directly contributed a total of $3.14 million. 

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Find answers to frequently asked questions about the Reserve's local impacts, including payment of taxes, economic opportunities, and Wild Sky Beef. 

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In More Detail

 

  • We spend locally to support communities. We've spent $5 million in local communities over the last three years for management expenses such as utilities, supplies, repairs, vehicles, and equipment. In 2015, the Reserve spent $916,553 on local purchases, services and supplies and an additional $76,964 on local lodging, gas, and groceries. 

  • We pay taxes to strengthen Montana. While we may be eligible for an exemption for a small portion of our property acres (up to 160 acres out of our total 86,586 deeded acres), we choose to fully pay all property taxes. In 2015, we paid a total of $69,539 in property taxes to Phillips, Blaine, and Valley Counties, and we are number 16 of the top 20 taxpayers in Phillips County. Since 2002, we have paid a total of $373,539 in property taxes.

  • We create jobs. As the Reserve grows, the number of staff needed to maintain it also increases. We offer new permanent and seasonal employment opportunities for local residents and attract new workers and families to the region. Last year, 27 permanent and seasonal employees lived and worked on the Reserve. 

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